Small retailers hope shoppers will consider alternative to Black Friday

From 10 a.m.-5 p.m., bingo cards will be passed out to visitors. Anyone who gets stamps on their cards from 10 participating stores can enter to win a drawing for $1,200 in downtown prizes and merchandise.

After the open house, people can hop over to the Festival of Trees and the “Whoville Holiday Suessabration.” The Suessabration includes crafts, games and a Whoville hair salon, where kids can have their hair done into a Who style.

At 5:30 p.m., the Greeley Lights the Nights parade will begin with almost 50 entries. After the parade will be the annual Lincoln Park lighting ceremony and time to visit with Santa.

When the leftover turkey is safely in the fridge and the Black Friday deals are wrapped and ready for Christmas, it's easy to think the holiday shopping is wrapped up. But for supporters of a local economy there's one more important part of beginning the season — Small Business Saturday.

"It's very important at the holiday season when people are doing their gift giving" to remember small businesses, said Pam Bricker, executive director at the Greeley Downtown Development Authority.

Many small businesses in Greeley and across the country embrace Small Business Saturday as a way to stand out in a seat of national retailers that get the bulk of Black Friday shoppers. American Express started the day for small retailers in 2010 to help businesses gain customers who would be lured by the traditional national retailer deals. The day encourages people to shop at small businesses on the Saturday after Thanksgiving.

This year, the big day is Nov. 29.

Linda Winter, a downtown business owner, said Small Business Saturday isn't just about shopping, though. It's about supporting all of the small businesses, including restaurants.

Winter said people should use Small Business Saturday as a chance to relax after the excitement of Thanksgiving and Black Friday.

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"It's not shopping — it's retail therapy," Winter said.

Winter said her shop, Accessories with a Flair! and Hair, 801 8th Ave., Suite 4, will participate in small business Saturday by pampering its customers and by showing off unique items.

"I don't have 50 of the same items on my rack," she said. "I just think shopping small has a lot of benefits, and I think the personal service and unique items is a lot of it."

Over the years, Winter said she has become friends with a lot of her regular customers.

She said many of the people she sees in her shop on Small Business Saturday are not from Greeley.

"I think they're tired of the lines and no parking," she said of visitors from Denver. And they come because "everybody likes to find new treasures."

Bricker said downtown Greeley has been doing a small business Saturday in some form or another for many years. Since American Express dubbed it a holiday in 2010, they have combined Small Business Saturday with Greeley's annual downtown Christmas celebration.

"We're not a one-destination place," Bricker said. "We want you to come down and experience a lot of shipping in a lot of stores, so that's a huge difference," from other areas.

From 10 a.m.-5 p.m., the shops and restaurants will be open for a Holiday Open House followed by other holiday celebrations. She said 23 downtown businesses are participating in different ways.

Sarah MacQuiddy, president of the Greeley Chamber of Commerce, said she thinks Small Business Saturday is important to show off all of the small businesses that help support Greeley's economy.

"There are so many places to shop right here in our community," she said. It's good "when you've got family and friends coming in, to say, 'Let me show you what Greeley has to offer."

It's also a good chance to remind locals of the small businesses that are in Greeley.

"Black Friday has years and years of being just what it is," MacQuiddy said. "I think we're seeing a little pendulum swing away from that. I think Small Business Saturday is gaining that momentum."

Winter said she thinks momentum is growing because people know small businesses give back more to the community. Plus, the personalized service is something that can't be found at a big box store, Winter said.

Many people she talks to want to shop local, she said, and Small Business Saturday gives them every reason to do so.

"It brings the focus back to small businesses that give good service," Winter said. "The crowds aren't huge and they can get some good deals and a good small town feel."

Small Business Saturday Activities

From 10 a.m.-5 p.m., bingo cards will be passed out to visitors. Anyone who gets stamps on their cards from 10 participating stores can enter to win a drawing for $1,200 in downtown prizes and merchandise.

After the open house, people can hop over to the Festival of Trees and the “Whoville Holiday Suessabration.” The Suessabration includes crafts, games and a Whoville hair salon, where kids can have their hair done into a Who style.

At 5:30 p.m., the Greeley Lights the Nights parade will begin with almost 50 entries. After the parade will be the annual Lincoln Park lighting ceremony and time to visit with Santa.